
Yuki Jackson to be featured
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WHO: The Straz Center
WHAT: BIPOC Play Reading Series
WHERE: Straz Center’s TECO Theater
WHEN: Sunday, April 23 at 2:30 p.m.
For the second year, this four-part series offers the dramatic experience of hearing excerpts from plays written by talented local and national writers. A question-and-answer period follows, during which writers provide insight into their creative processes.
The third playwright to be featured will be Yuki Jackson, on April 23. Jackson is a Black and Japanese poet and educator. Her poetry has been published in literary journals such as Four Way Review and Cream City Review, for which she was nominated for a 2021 Best of the Net Award and the 2020 Summer Poetry Prize. Jackson is a regular contributor for the “Poet’s Notebook” column of Creative Loafing Tampa and her writing and text-based art has also been featured by NPR Next Gen, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and the Goodwin-Procter law firm. Her work as an arts educator includes being the founder of The Battleground youth program in Tampa.
The last playwright to be featured will be LeAnne Howe, of the Chocktaw Nation, on May 28. In addition to being a playwright, Howe is an Edison Distinguished professor in American Literature at the University of Georgia. Excerpts from her play Savage Conversations will be read.
Other playwrights spotlighted in the BIPOC Play-Reading Series’ second season have included Gretchen Suárez-Peña and Ifa Bayeza.
The final BIPOC Play-Reading series play reading will be held on Sunday, May 28. All play readings are FREE and held at 2:30 p.m. in the TECO Theater. Reservations are required by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or visiting the website at www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/Voices-of-the-Community/BIPOC-Playreading-Series and clicking on the show date.
For more information about the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, visit www.strazcenter.org.